Box.



PATENTED MAR. 21, 1905.

'P. H. HOUGLAND. V BOX.

APPLIOATIOK FILED MAY 8, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 785,102. ,PATENTED MAR. 21, 1905.

F. H- HOUGLAND.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I Snow/kw wow: 4

e No. 785.102.

UNITED STATES Patented March21, 190:5.v

PATENT OFFICE.

BOX."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,102, dated March 21, 1905.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known thatI, FRANK H.1HoUeLnND, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Nashville, in thecounty of Davidson and State of structural characteristics which give the same a comparatively rigid formation when in use.

With the foregoing object in'view a con- 1 venient embodiment of the invention embraces a box provided with reinforcing instrumentalities adjoining its top and bottom, said instrumentalities being free relative to adjacent portions of the box, whereby the box may be readily collapsed for the purpose of transpor tation and when not in use.

I The novel details injtheconstruction and arrangement of the several parts of the box will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and wherein said embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspectivev View of the box as it appears when in use.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 00 as of- Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged View similar to Fig. 2 of the bottom portion of the box, the parts-being slightly spread apart to indicate the manner in which the same fold.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1 3/ of Fig. 1 looking down upon thebottom of the box. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 ,on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking up into the interior of the top of the box. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view, Fig. 7 is a top plan View, and Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of the top and bottom portions of the box, the latter illustrating the manner of collapsing said body.

Referring more specifically to .the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer Application filedMay-S, 1904. Serial No. 206,120.

to corresponding parts in the several views,

A designates the bottom .of the box, B the sides thereof, and C the ends of the same, while D represents the top; The sides and a continuous rectangular body when the box is in condition 'for use. .At'the upper edges.

of the sides oppositely-disposed flaps E are secured, and corresponding flaps F-project from the upper edges of the ends C, these several flaps being free relative to one another and so arranged as" to cooperate with .ends'are pasted together, as at I), to constitute similar flaps G G and H H, carried by the top D, the top being susceptible of ready removal from the body of the box, as shown in Fig. 8. The application of the top to the body will be hereinafter referred to.

A supplemental bottom for the box is constituted by relatively large flaps I and J, ar-

ranged to be turned inwardly upon the inner surface of the bottom A and overlap, as at j, Fig.4. The flaps I and J are continuations of the ends C heretofore mentioned, and such flaps not only strengthen thebottom,but also the sides B, inasmuch as the side edges 71 of the former are arranged. to abut the inner faces of said sides. The ends 0 are strengthened and the bottom further reinforced through the medium of auxiliary flaps K and" L, preferably cut from the flaps I and J and bent therefrom so as to underlie the bottom A. (Probably best shown in Fig. 3.) While I have shown simply one flap underlying each 5 end of the bottom. A and preferably centrally thereof, it is obvious that a'series of these flaps may be provided when found expedient.

In applying the cover to the body the side flaps E are bent inwardly into substantially a horizontal plane at right angles to the sides to'which they are connected, and the cover is laid flat upon these flaps and with its flaps H inserted within the body of the box between the ends of the flaps E and the inner surface of the ends C. Thereupon the flaps G of the top are bent down upon the sides B of the body, while the flaps F of the ends C are folded down upon said top. To lock the several parts in their proper relations, as abovedefined, and maintain the box intact when in use, I provide a tape orcord M, interlaced, as at m, with the,

bottom A of' the box and with its opposite ends extending out through said bottom at points centrally of the flaps K and L, whereby said tape may be wrapped around said flaps, the ends of the box, and over the top D and overlying flaps F, whence the ends of the tape are tied together in any desirable manner.

From the disclosure'herein made it will be seen that I have provided in an exceedingly simple structure a box which may be made of very light material, with resultant cheapness of production, while at the same time affording'an article of marked efliciency, due principally to its rigidity when in use.

' Owing to the fact that all of the flapsare free-that is, relative to the parts of'the' box which they respectively overlie or underliethe box may be easily folded for transporta tion or storage, it simply being necessary to remove the top D, fold the inner bottom flaps upwardly to the ends C, and draw said ends and flaps outwardly,Fig. 9, to fold the same along thevertical creases N andO therein,

this action also folding the bottom A upwardly along a longitudinally disposed crease 'P, it beingunderstood that these creases 'are ini- 'tially formed during the manufacture of they "boxby indenting, scoring, or perforating the v 3 material of which the box is composed;

- ""I desire to state that in any future interpretation of 1 the present invention it is not my intention tozberestricted toanything mentioned in the foregoing description or shown in-the drawings, except in so far as the same may be specifically included in the hereto-appendedclaims, as it is apparent that minor changesfand alterations in the various details may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A box of the character described com prising sides and ends, a single-piece bottom secured to the sides, and free at points between the ends of the same and the ends of the box, anda supplemental bottom comprising overlapping flaps secured tothe ends of the, box adjoining the open ends of the bottom and overlying said bottom.

2. A box of the character described provided with a bottom, sides and ends,fand'a sup.- plemental bottom comprising oppositely-disposed flaps carried by the ends of the box and overlying the bottom thereof, in combination with auxiliary flaps underlying the end portions of said bottom, said'flaps and the sides and ends of the box being formed of a single sheet of material. I

3. A box of the character described pro vided with a bottom, sides and ends, and a supplemental bottom comprising-oppositely-dis posed flaps carried by the ends of the box and overlying the bottom thereof, in combination with auxiliary flaps cut from said first-mentioned flaps-and underlying the end portions of said bottom.

4:. A box of the character described provided with a bottom, sides and ends, and a supplemental bottom comprising oppositely-disposed flaps carried by the ends of the box and overlying the bottom thereof, in combination with auxiliary flaps cut from said first-mentioned flaps at points intermediate their side edges and underlying'the end portions of said bottom v 5. A collapsible box of the character-described formed with an attached bottom, sides and ends, and two series of free reinforcing flaps'secured at one edge only the one series overlying and the other underlying said bottom. 6. A box of the character described provided with sides and ends, a single-piece bottom secured to said sides and unattached at its ends, and oppositely-d isposed reinforcing-flaps secured to the ends'of the box adjoining the unattached ends of the bottom and overlying said bottom. I

7. A collapsible box of the character'described provided with a bottom, sldes secured to said bottomand endsjand two seriesof normally freeoppositely-disposed reinforc ing-flaps, one series overlying and the other series underlying said bottom.

8. A box of the character described provided with abottom, sides and ends, said bottom being creased lon itudinally and said ends being correspondingfv creased vertically, in

combination with a supplemental bottom comprising oppositely-disposed flaps overlying being, creased to correspond with the crease.

ing of said ends whereby the box may be col I lapsed.

10. A box of thelcharacter'described provided with a bottom, sides and ends, said bot-' tom being creased longitudinally and said ends being correspondingly creased vertically, in

-combination with reinforcing-flaps overlying and underlying the bottom of the box, the;

"inner flaps being creased to correspond with the creasing of the ends of the box and arranged to be folded up' to said ends whereby the box may be collapsed.' f

I 11. A-box of the character describedformed with a bottom, sides ahd ends, a supplemental bottom comprising oppositely-disposed flaps carried by the ends of the box and overlying the bottom thereof, said'supplemental bottom being ofsubstantially the same area as that of the bottom, and auxiliary flaps underlying the end portions of said bottom, in combination-with a cover and a cord arranged to pass around said cover, the ends of the box and said auxiliary flaps.

12. A box of the character described providedwith sides and ends having flaps at their upper edges, in combination with atop having downwardly-bent flaps at its edges,'said flaps of the box and those of the topbeing'arranged to alternately overlie and underlie the the parts they adjoin and cooperate to secure the top in place and brace the sides and ends of the box.

14. A'box of the character described comprising sides and ends, a single-piece bottom secured to-the sides, and a supplemental bottom comprising flaps secured tothe lower portion of the ends of thebox and overlying,

? top in place-and brace the sides and ends of 15. A box of the character described prosaid bottom.

vided with a body portion having a flag at its upper edge, and a top having several aps at the edgesthereof bent downwardly at substantially right angles to said top, the flaps of the top being arranged one to fold down within the box and another to fold upon the outer surface of the body and the flapof the body secure thetop in place and brace the sides being arranged to fold down upon thejtop.-.

16. A box .of the character described provided with abody portion having a flap at its upper edge and another flap independent of said first-mentioned flap, and a top havinga flap at one edge thereof bent downwardly at substantially right angles to said top, the flap of the top' being arranged to fold down-upon the outer surfaceof the body andthe flaps of the body being arranged the one to underlie.

the top and the other to overlie the same;

17 A box of the character described pro videdwith a body portion having four. flaps at its upper edge, and a top having a. corresponding number of flaps bent downwardly at substantially right angles to saidtop, two of the flaps of the body being arranged to underlie the top and two to overlie the same, and two of the flaps ofthe top being arranged to project into the body of the box and two to fold down upon the outer surface thereof.

18. A box of the character described pro-.

vided with a bottom, sides and ends, a supple- .mental bottom comprising oppositely-dis posedffiaps carried by the ends of the box and overlying the bottom thereof, and auxiliary flaps underlying theend portions of said bottom, in combination with a top having flaps arranged to fold'down upon the ends of the box, anda cord arranged to pass around said cover and its 'flaps,'the ends of the box and said auxiliary flaps.

19. A box of the character described provided with a'body portion having a flap at its upper edge, and a top having a flap at one edge thereof, the .flap of the top being arranged to fold down upon the interior of the box and the flap of the body being arranged to fold down upon the uppersurfaceof the top.

20., A box ofthe character described provided with a bottom, sides and ends, the bottom being secured to the sides and free at its ends, and reinforcing-flaps underlying the end portions of said bottom, in combination with a top having flaps arranged to fold down upon the ends of the box, and one or more flaps bent down within the box, and a cord arranged to pass around said cover and its flaps, the ends of the box and said reinforcing-flaps.

' 21. A bQX-Of the character described provided with sides and 'ends, flaps at all upper edges of the box, and a top havingdownwardlyloent flaps at all its edges, said flaps of the top and those ofthe box 006 perating to secure the the box, one or more of the flaps of the top being bent down on the inside of the box.

22. A box of the character described provided with-sides and ends, and flaps at all upper edges of the box, in combination with a top having flaps at all its edges adapted to bend downwardly, said flaps of--the top and j those of the box being arranged to cooperate and, ends "of the box, and one or more of the flaps. of the top being arranged to be folded down on the insideof the box.

23. A collapsiblebox of the character described provided with a bottom, sides secured to said bottom and ends, and integral reinforcing-flaps overlying and underlying said bottom at the same edge thereof,.both of said I flaps being carried by one end of the box. A collapsible box pf the character described provided with a bottom,sides and ends,

' said bottom being 'free' at its ends, and reinforcing-flaps overlying and underlying said bottom -at said free ends thereof and at both ends of the box. v

25. A collapsible box of the character described provided with a bottom,sides and 'ends, said bottom being secured to the sides andfree at its ends, and oppositely-disposed flaps carried by the ends of the box and overlying the bott0m thereof, in combination with auxiliary the ends of the box, one series overlying and flaps underlying the end portions of said botthe other series underlying, said bottom. IO torn. In testimony whereof I alfix my signaturein 26. Abox of the character described propresence of two witnesses, 5 vided with a bottom, sides and ends, said bot- FRANK H. HOUGLAND;

tom being secured to the sides and free at its Witnesses: ends, and two series'of normally free oppo- B. F. BLANKRUSH,

sitely-disposed reinforcing-flaps integral with H. C. FROST} 

